Crab legs with a bowl of butter on a plate.

What Makes Costco’s King Crab Legs So Special?

NEWS

By ELIAS NASH

Red king crab legs with lemon and butter on a wooden board.
Often expensive and highly prized for its rich, sweet flavor, the red king crab, also known as the Alaskan king crab, weighs up to 24 pounds with a formidable 5-foot leg span.
Costco's king crab legs and claws on display.
According to a Reddit post, Costco is currently selling wild-caught king crab legs for $43.99 per pound, with each box containing 10 pounds, totaling $439.99.
Crab legs cooking in a pot.
While they sell king crab legs and claws together, you can also buy a particular portion of the leg known as the Merus cut — the largest segment of the leg with the most meat.
A king crab underwater.
King crab has become a rare sight at Costco since serious concerns about overfishing have put king crab populations at risk, and thrown its culinary future into question.
A Costco storefront.
Although the king crab has not been marked with the infamous Costco price tag asterisk, the tumultuous fishery situation suggests that it will only be available for a limited time.